Expired film?

depends how long over, what effect you want it for, and how it has been stored, for example i always buy expired colour from a certain bulk food supply store - they put it on specail like it`s yogurt.$3.95 FOR A 36 frame - that is NZ$3.95 so about US$3.20. In fact they often put it on specail one month prior to expiry, now if only i can convince them that black and white has a growing market and they should stock it.
I have not used any over 12 months expired, but if it has been stored well a little older should be OK.
One area to be wary of is suppliers who offer film without the box and tell you it it was bulk packaged, this way you cannot confirm how old the film is.regards

What pakeha has said. Some internet sites seem to specialise in selling film of which a portion will be outdated. If it's part of their business then the chances are that it has been stored correctly and selling "damaged" film won't be in their interest. I'd buy from such sellers even if the film is up to a year or maybe more out of date. If it is only a couple of months out of date then provided it hasn't been stored above a radiator or on the rear shelf of a car in summer, you are probably pretty safe with such film as well.

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For years I shot expired Verichrome Pan 620 in my Pentax 6x7. The reasons? I knew it had been stored at normal temps, because it came from the warehouse which supplied local retail camera shops. Because no one wanted it (this was the 1980s) they only charged me a nickel a roll. I used it for copy work which could be rehot easily. And, despite being 620, it could be used with a 120 spool in the Pentax.

Back in ye oldene dayz, Freestyle sold much expired film which they guaranteed. I used it for personal work in 35 mm with no problems that I was ever able to detect.

There have been lots of threads on expired films and processing of old films.

Obviously film doesn't "go off" on the day it expires, and, while it can remain in good usable condition much longer, it depends entirely on storage conditions.

Personally, I wouldn't buy expired film (the only time might be if I wanted to experiment with a discontinued film), but once fresh film is in my freezer, I don't worry if it then goes a couple of years over. I think that perhaps, having used limited leisure time and hard-earned cash in travelling somewhere photogenic, I don't want to risk disappointment by trying to save a few pennies on film.

I buy expired film according to this formula: If stored @ room temp, there must be a 20% discount per year expired, for refrigerated, 15%, and for frozen 10%. If it is an exceptional film, or has a low (below 100) ISO, I will buy it over 10 years old.

I recently picked up a large lot of EPP that expired in 1992. Thats 17 yeras roughly.
If was frozen all that time and is still performing quite good.

There is the very slightest shift toward magenta (but not bad and I expect much more) and from what I can tell has not lost any speed. I haven't done tests with a densitometer but it looks good and this film is fantastic for cross pross anyway so I think I did well.

It's always a crapshoot depending on storage conditions.

Another time I got some Portra 160 NC that was green that expired in 2001-2002 so...

well, if I had to shoot IN-DATE film, I wouldn't have been passing my class :o.

no, my local "mom and pop 99c store" has kodak gold 200 in the 4 roll packs(like those at wally world), and are out of date as of 09/08.
going strong so far. I just check the emulsion #s on the bottom of the boxes when I buy them to get all the same. Generally 10-15 boxes at a time. I figure that if all are the same, they are likely out of the same case, and probably stored the exact same. So 40-60 rolls of 24exp. Gets me what I need. And since I process it myself at school, all the chems are essentially free. Just my time isn't

very cost effective way to shoot color neg IMO. Thankfully they bought a good deal of this same emulsion number . This term I figure I've saved about $120 so far on film alone compared to my fellow classmates. My teach likes my work, and she is quite thrilled at what I can get the good ol' GB-200 to do really.

get what you like at the price you can afford. I thank God daily for people who pass this stuff up so I can get it.

I know some pros who have shot Gold 100/200 for headshots and even magazine editorial stuff out here in LA. most are all digi now, but some still like to break out the 1v or f100 on a job and shoot a few rolls for themselves, client and talent willing of course.

I'm sure they don't shoot expired though

So far though, I'd stay away for the high speed stuff. I've had nothing but bad luck from MAX 400/800 and Fuji 400/800 stuff, even when its just a over a year O.o.D....

best of luck!!!

-Dan

ohh....

I would put my really critical stuff on fresh film if i were you. unless you've got rolls from the same batch you've tested for fog/other nasties.... Portra NC/VC is still my favorite

I have been exclusively shooting astia that expired 10 years ago. I have not expirienced any I'll effects, and I'm fairly certain that it has been stored in room temperature for it's lifetime. It's a win win because I get it for $5 for a box of 50 4x5 sheets.

Slide film expired 10 years ago and stored at room temperature shows quite bad color usually. I've shot Velvia expired in 99 and it shows high magenta fog, and Agfa expired in 2002 and it shows high yellow cast.

Your Astia is probably stored well or you have just been lucky, or then Astia is better in this manner.